


you would have taken it back (and boxed it up and buried it in the ground)

by myaimistrue



Category: That '70s Show
Genre: Angst, Divorce, F/M, Future Fic, relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-24
Updated: 2020-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:40:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27700834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myaimistrue/pseuds/myaimistrue
Summary: Jackie signs divorce papers.
Relationships: Jackie Burkhart & Steven Hyde, Jackie Burkhart/Steven Hyde
Comments: 8
Kudos: 26





	you would have taken it back (and boxed it up and buried it in the ground)

Jackie stared at her reflection in the mirror and smiled winningly. She could do this, she  _ could,  _ and if nothing else, she looked incredible. Her pantsuit was a deep purple color, and coupled with her golden heels and chunky earrings to match, it was an outfit she’d been dying for a chance to wear. It was just too bad that  _ this  _ was her opportunity.

Her lawyer poked her head in the bathroom. She was a nice woman, if a little stern. “Jackie, it’s time.”

She gave herself one last once-over and smoothed out her blouse. She could handle a few signatures. Easy.

The conference room was small, and as she entered, Jackie wanted to meet Steven’s eyes, to see some anger or regret or grief at their failed marriage, but he was focused on the papers in front of him. He looked nice; she didn’t remember buying that tie for him, but it seemed expensive and was well-coordinated with his suit— their marriage had at least taught him something about fashion.

Their lawyers began explaining the process, how they only needed a few signatures and that everything else was handled, and Jackie tried not to think too much about the seriousness of what was happening. It was too hard, knowing how wrong she had been about everything from the very beginning.

Because she’d convinced him. After Chicago and the breakup, after moving back home in embarrassment, after the stripper, after Eric came back and Donna went off to college, after all of the stupid childish drama, Jackie and Steven had fallen in love again. It wasn’t long before they moved to Chicago permanently. Jackie got a job at the station, where she’d eventually climb the ladder to morning anchor, and Steven ran the record stores in the city. It wasn’t perfect, but it was working. They were happy.

And then, she couldn’t help but bring it up, thinking that they were grown-ups now and their relationship could take it. Now, in her thirties, Jackie realized that it took more than turning twenty-one to grow up.

“You know I love you, Jackie,” Steven had said quietly. “Do we really need to get married for me to prove it?”

“We’re basically married already!” She’d said, completely dodging his question. “We’ve been together for years, we live together, we moved away from Point Place together. This would just make it official.”

He’d looked at her for what felt like an eternity. “That’s what you want? To get married?”

“Yes.” She reached out and laced their fingers together, smiling a little nervously. “Yes, Steven, that’s what I want.”

And then he had sighed. “Alright. Fine.”

In retrospect, she should have known it would be a disaster right then. Because here was the thing about her and Steven: they loved each other, but they didn’t always like each other. And as soon as they got married (in a small but lavish wedding Jackie had planned for a year and a half), it brought all of the problems that had always been there right to the surface.

They’d always been the kind of couple that fought, but it had usually had an undercurrent of affection. Over time, though, it turned sour, turned resentful. Any little thing was enough to cause an argument. Steven would stay out drinking after work without calling, and they’d fight. Jackie makes a mean comment about something on television, and they’d fight. One little irritation after a long day was enough to set off a screaming match that would last most of the evening and end with Steven sleeping on the couch.

Her lawyer nudged her. “Jackie?”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” She tried for a smile. “What were you saying?”

“It’s time for you to sign, if you’re ready.”

Jackie glanced down at the papers in front of her and then at Steven across from her. She knew him well enough to know that he was trying very hard to keep his expression completely neutral, to show nothing. Typical. “I’m ready,” She said.

“Good.” Her lawyer pointed to the lines where she needed to sign, Steven’s lawyer did the same, they switched, did it again, and then the papers were signed. Their divorce was final.

“You’ll both receive the official decree for your records in a few days,” Steven’s lawyer said as he shuffled the papers together. “But otherwise, you’re now officially divorced. Congratulations.”

Jackie wanted to laugh at that; she didn’t think she’d ever felt less celebratory. But she was nothing if not a woman with the ability to put on a brave face, so she just smiled graciously and thanked everyone. They all shook hands, and it was over. 

She tried to catch Steven as they left, wanting to say something to him, wanting to say anything to make sense of this, but his lawyer was still talking to him. She wondered if he was intentionally dodging her, and felt a twinge of annoyance.

Outside the office, the sun was sinking low in the sky; they’d had to schedule the appointment later because Jackie was filling in for the afternoon anchor, which was enough to set off an argument between her and Steven (“You can’t even make time to sign our divorce papers?”) But the upside was that the parking lot had a nice view of the lake, and with the sunset reflecting off of it, it was a lovely sight.

Jackie got to her car, and looked at her keys in her hand. There was nothing she wanted less than to return to the house that she used to share with him. So, without thinking much about it, she boosted herself up onto the hood of her car to watch the sunset. It was just the kind of romantic thing she’d done as a teenager, something silly and fun just for the sake of it, and it felt nice. It had been a long time since she’d let herself just enjoy something like this.

She’d only been sitting there for a few minutes when she heard a voice say, “Jackie?”

Steven was standing there, looking at her with that same guarded expression. He’d let his beard grow out since they’d been apart, and though she used to hate it, she was starting to think it looked nice on him. “What are you doing?”

“Watching the sunset,” Jackie said, not looking at him. “We’re officially divorced now, you don’t have to talk to me anymore.”

He sighed. “Jackie, I don’t want to fight.”

“Then what  _ do _ you want, Steven?” She couldn’t stop the anger in her voice; she never could with him. “Do you want to rub it in that our marriage failed? Do you want to make fun of me for being upset?”

“No!” He rubbed his temple like he had a headache. “Jesus, Jackie, I’m just trying to talk to you. I’m not trying to pick a fight.”

“Fine. Okay.” She motioned to the car hood. “Sit down.”

So he did. They both looked at the lake for a long moment.

“Don’t act like I’m not upset about this,” He finally said, his voice carefully controlled. “Because I am. Our marriage is over, and it fucking sucks. You aren’t the only one dealing with that.”

Jackie looked over at him and bit her lip. “I know. I’m sorry.”

“Yeah. Yeah, me too.”

“It’s my fault.” She glanced down at her hands clasped in her lap, and swore she was starting to see wrinkles. “You didn’t want to get married at all, and I forced you into it. You knew we’d end up here. I didn’t listen.”

“It’s not your fault. It’s both of our faults. Or maybe it’s nobody’s fault.” He sighed. “I think… I don’t know, I think maybe you and I just don’t work.”

She smiled sadly. “I wish we could’ve.”

“Me too.”

They sat in a long silence there on the hood of the car, watching the sunlight bounce off of the lake, and for a brief moment, Jackie was traveling through time, her hair was long and there was music playing, music she hadn’t listened to in years.

“You know what it reminds me of, sitting on the car like this?”

“What?”

“Veteran’s Day,” She said, the nostalgia making her smile. “When I was what, fifteen or sixteen? It was our first date.”

Steven actually laughed. It was small, but it was there. “Damn, I forgot about all that. Man, you were obsessed with me back then.”

“I was.” She laughed too. “But you had a thing for me. You punched that guy I brought to the cookout, remember? What was his name, Chris? Chip?”

“I don’t know. But he deserved it.”

“What did he do, again?” It was so strange, not to remember details of your own life. 

“I think he called you a bitch.”

“That’s it,” Jackie said, not mentioning that one of their last blowouts had culminated with her throwing her ring at his head and him looking right into her eyes and calling her the very same thing. She couldn’t hold it against him, though; she’d called him far worse. “Simpler times, I guess.”

“Yeah.” Steven looked at her for a long moment. “Jackie...”

“What?”

“You and me… it was good while it lasted, right?”

“It was.” Jackie resisted the urge to reach out and touch his face. She wondered if she’d ever stop wanting to do that, if the habitual love she had for him would ever fade. “Steven, it was so good.”

He smiled a little. “Yeah. That’s what I thought.”

They sat there and watched the sun sink lower onto the horizon until it finally disappeared.

**Author's Note:**

> Title from "Divorce Song" by Liz Phair (appropriate, no?)
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated!


End file.
